PHILADELPHIA, June 25 /PRNewswire/ -- New evidence that inadequate sleep may prompt development of insulin-resistance, a well-known risk factor for diabetes, was reported here today at the American Diabetes Association's 61st Annual Scientific Sessions.
"We have shown that failure to get the slightly more than eight hours sleep per night that clinical experts recommend may contribute to the rising incidence of diabetes," said Bryce A. Mander, a research assistant in the Endocrinology Section of the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago, in a recent interview. The research was done in the laboratory of well-known sleep researcher, Eve Van Cauter, Ph.D., a professor of medicine at the University.
"When you chronically get inadequate sleep, you are not merely developing a sleep debt but also disrupting other body functions," explained Mr. Mander. "Such endemic sleep loss is widely seen in industrialized countries and has now been shown to decrease the body's sensitivity to its own insulin."
Approximately 16 million Americans have diabetes, a group of serious diseases characterized by high blood sugar levels that result from defects in the body's ability to produce and/or use insulin. Another 20 to 30 million have impaired glucose tolerance, a potentially pre-diabetic condition that results from poor insulin sensitivity. Diabetes can lead to severely debilitating or fatal complications, such as blindness, kidney disease, heart disease and amputations. It is the sixth leading cause of death by disease in the U.S.
SLEEP RESEARCH
The sleep research was undertaken to explore the hypothesis that one of the many functions of sleep is to help assure normal metabolism of sugar. This is a special concern as people in industrialized societies drive themselves for high work performance, progressively curtailing their sleep duration.
The sleep researchers studied 27 healthy, non-obese adults, aged 23 to 42 years; 14 were "normal" sleepers, whose average weekday sleep duration was 7.5 to 8.5 hours, while 13 were chronic "short" sleepers, whose average weekday sleep duration was under 6.5 hours. Their sleep patterns had been stable for at least six months. The two groups were matched for gender and ethnic distribution, exercise habits, and diabetic family history.
The participants wore a wrist activity monitor for eight consecutive nights and, on the last two, recorded their sleep at home using an ambulatory recording system. Over the course of the study, the short sleepers averaged 5 hours and 16 minutes per night, while the normal sleepers averaged three minutes under 8 hours of sleep per night.
On the final day of the study, the participants were admitted to the Clinical Research Center and, after an overnight fast, underwent an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT).
"Insulin sensitivity in the short sleepers was almost 40% lower than in the normal sleepers," reported Mr. Mander. "Our research demonstrates that chronic sleep curtailment in otherwise healthy, young adults impairs the ability of insulin to do its job properly." Such insulin resistance has been implicated in the development of the metabolic syndrome, which is a constellation of problems, including diabetes, hypertension, abnormal lipid levels, and obesity. Related research at the University of Chicago has shown that, even with an excellent diet and regular exercise, those who don't sleep enough are at greater risk for weight gain.
The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the Association has offices in every region of the country, providing services to more than 800 communities.
http://diabetes.about.com/health/di...blnsleep601.htm
Sleep Deprivation Promotes Insulin-Resistance
I find I can't sleep more than 4 to 5 hrs. 
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